Weekly CO report

District 5 - Eveleth area

CO Darrin Kittelson (International Falls #1) continued training a new conservation officer candidate. Most enforcement was conducted on Rainy Lake with violations dealing with fishing licenses and safety equipment.

CO John Slatinski IV (Ray) continued work on a background investigation for the next Academy applicants. Training was attended and time was spent fielding several animal-complaint calls. Problem bears continue to be the top complaint.

CO Troy Fondie (Orr) reports monitoring area lakes, checking local forest roads, and returning phone calls over the week. Other time was spent working on equipment and completing administrative tasks.

CO Sean Cannon (Cook) spent time this week checking anglers, monitoring boating activity, patrolling area ATV trails and state forest roads, and monitoring bear-baiting activity. A report of feral hogs in the area was investigated. It ended up being someone?s pigs that had gotten loose. They were quickly rounded up by their owner.

CO Aaron Larson (Tower) worked primarily big-game and ATV enforcement. Larson spent time checking for bear baits in his station as the bear-hunting season quickly approaches. He spent time checking for ATVs around Tower and area trails and worked a shift at the State Fair DNR information booth. Wildlife-related calls and other questions were fielded.

CO Shane Zavodnik (Virginia) and COC Matt Boyle report that ATV traffic is high with summer coming to an end. Multiple ATVs were stopped, and enforcement action was taken for operating on roadways without headlights and operating on state highways. Bear baits were located and investigated. Time was spent on Lake Vermillion where enforcement action was taken for multiple boating safety and angling violations. Zavodnik and Boyle also performed multiple taxidermy inspections.

CO Duke Broughten (Aurora) spent the week monitoring fishing, boating, ATV, and bear-baiting activity. Anglers reported moderate success this week. Warmer weather brought on higher boating activity. Lack of natural foods in the woods should increase success for bear hunters. Canada goose numbers appear to be down. Broughten also fielded calls regarding bear-bait registration and personal watercraft operation. He investigated a wetland violation.

Hibbing vacant.

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